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Erins Rabbits

Erins Rabbits

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 26, 2009
Messages
415
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1
Location
White Mountains, Arizona, USA
There's been some arguments lately on the showbunny list on yahoo, about allowing visitors to the rabbitry to pick out a bunny. It was brought up that this is dangerous, and stressful on the rabbits, and AR activists are on the prowl- I agree.

One or two people argue that it says you've got something to hide. That perhaps the rabbitry is dirty, the cages are cramped, they aren't being well cared for... etc etc.

What are your guys' thoughts on this?
 
I don't quite know how I feel about this. I am learning more and more about rabbits everyday. I would imagine if you are a rabbitry then you would know that obviously, at some point, there will be potential customers in your rabbitry. I would expect this. Hand sanitizer would be a good thing to keep around I would think.
 
After the horror stories I stopped letting people into my rabbitry. A friend that breeds has most of her buyers come to her rabbitry. She even has signs down the roads telling people her rabbitry is there. She breeds for both show and pets.
 
Well, I have kids in my barn all the time. At least a few times a week when weather is good. My cousins like to come and see all the bunnies and pet them. They are pretty good all except the 3 year old, he is constantly wanting to open the cages. The others know only if they ask and that they are not to be in there without me. I have not had any problems and it is more attention the rabbits get. Plus, it is not like new people every other day, just the same people, normally, every once in a while.
 
It depends for me. Generally, I e-mail so much with people that I get to know them really well. I am an excellent judge of character and have no problem allowing these people to pick up bunnies at the rabbitry. I live in a family of 5 and there are always different people feeding, running through the rabbitry (back porch), so the rabbits aren't phased by much.

I also WANT people to see my rabbitry. All my rabbits have litterboxes, toys, resting mats, etc. And I want them to realize that not all breeders are horrible and breeding for money.

The exception would be if someone is short with their e-mails and just seems to want the bunny and leave. Usually I'll just meet them at the grocery store down the road.
 
I've spent sometime in the parrot breeding world and most good qualitybreeding aviariesseem to beclosed to the public now. Websites with lots ofpictures of the facilityand (hopefully!) legitimate testimonials seem to work wonders for those who don't want strangers in their aviaries and handling their birds. There really is advantage to both systems though.
 
I am lucky because my rabbitry is small, I have a wire mesh gate across the door so visitors can see inside and have a good look at everything without coming inside the shed or invading the rabbits space. However, I have never had a problem with any visitors, although I do ask them to wash their hands if they are handling them. I have known rabbits who were extremely nervous with everyone other than their breeder because they'd never seen, smelt or been handled by anyone else, so I think it could certainly have a bad effect on the rabbits future contact with people if it's been too sheltered all it's life. Rabbits who are well socialized with people don't usually find contact with strangers stressful. My rabbits would be happy for anybody to touch them as long as they were handled correctly.

Personally, if I was buying a rabbit and the breeder wouldn't let me see it's living conditions I would be very suspicious. I've never met any breeder who didn't welcome me in to have a look at the rabbit and it's parents, grandparents etc. To me it would be an essential part of purchasing good stock.

I guess it's a fine line between safety and paranoia.
 
I agree Kayleigh! I would NOT ever buy from a rabbitry that would not let me meet the parents and see the facilities he/she was raised in if I were looking for a good quality bunny- not anymore. I have had my bad experience with this and will never do this again!
I think there are many excuses as to why breeders don't let others into their rabbitry or kennels and most of them are pretty lame (IMO). If you feel the person you are selling the animal to is unclean or has the possibility to harm/sicken your animals then why sell to them anyway? Why would you , if you truly care about your rabbits, let them go to someone you think has less than good intentions or does not have the business owning any animal? I have come across many rabbit breeders since my short time in the rabbit world who seem to be in it just for the money and who aren't breeding for the betterment of anything. I don't understand this line of thinking at all. Isn't this too much like bybs in dogs? Serious hobby breeders who intend to better their breed of dog are very concerned where they place their dogs- pets as well as show animals. Are there any rabbit breeders that hold themselves to high standards with their rabbits best interests at heart?? I am searching for answers and have yet to find them.... I even made a topic myself asking questions.
 
BTW OakRidgeRabbits, I want you to know that I applaud for knowing the difference between safety and paranoia. I would buy a rabbit from you any day of the week. And if you don't mind stopping by my other topic and answering those questions honestly I would be extremely greatful to you.
 
I think it would depend for me. I have let buyers come into the rabbitry before, and I probably will again, but Kayleigh's right about it being a line between safety and paranoia.
I know that many people would be suspicious if you didn't let them at least look in your rabbitry and see the conditions. I have a gate across my door when it's open, so people can view the rabbits easily from there, and from the window, without going in or disturbing. And if they wanted to see the parents, then they could.

I think another major thing is that the breeders should let you look over the pedigrees of parents of the rabbit you might purchase. This way, you can see if any stock are related to yours, etc.

I have pictures of my rabbitry/facilities on my website (and I actually need updated ones) but not everyone views my website, since I make ads elsewhere and don't give links out directly.

Emily
 
My friend let a guy come to her rabbitry to pick one out of her juniors that where forsale. He decided he wanted one of her adults who was not forsale and he got rude. She refused to sell to him and made him leave. That night he came and stole that rabbit along with a few others. There was nothing that could be done because she could not prove it was him. She felt so scared it would happen again that she chained all the cages down and padlocked the doors on each cage shut. That is not how a person should have to do to feel their rabbits are safe.

No one will come to my rabbitry, if they have a problem they do not have to buy. I would rather my rabbits safe and my mind at ease than to snag every possible sale.
 
Yikes, that's awful, Samantha.
Couldn't your friend at least have told the police and told them who she thought did itand why? Then they could have searched his house or whatnot and if they'd found the rabbits, well she was right.

My rabbitry is lockable, we used to lock it at night when we first moved here, but don't anymore. We probably should, because my mom's boyfriend has had his car broken into while it was in our driveway...

Also during the winter months, there's motocross races at the track behind my house...I've heard stories of people stealing firewood from houses, and I thought we should lock up our shed, but the people over there don't go past the tape they have up.

Emily

ETA: Grammar
 
I do not allow anyone to come here for rabbits, and its certainly not because I have anything to hide. Its a crazy world we live in, even when I give stuff away on freecycle I meet folks somewhere, no reason for them to know where I live. I sell at shows mostly, its a lot less stressful. I also have chickens, and worry about biosecurity, don't want someone bringing something in on their shoes.

I don't have a problem showing folks peds and showing them relatives of said rabbits if I have them with me at a show, but I really don't need the business of someone who feels that they have a right to come to my house, inspect my rabbitry and see every rabbit that I own. Nope, just not worth it, they can buy a rabbit from someone esle. There's just too many whacko's out there these days.

Also its not about the money, you do not make a profit in rabbits, your lucky if you sell enough to pay for your feed. Rabbits can be a very expensive hobby, but its just that, a hobby, not a business. I think breeders have a right to make their own rules pertaining to their hobby, and remain within their own comfort zone, and not feel that they have to open up their rabbitry to outsiders to appear to be ethical and reputable by someone esles standards. JMHO
 
I suppose I'm lucky in that respect because anyone who came to my house to cause trouble would have a very nasty surprise, my Akita's wouldn't let them within 10ft of me or the property if I raised the alarm. :coolness:

Personally I think the gate across the door which BSAR and myself use is a perfect in between. For me it has nothing to do with snagging a sale, I feel it is good practice and it's to my standard, no one elses. It's what I would like to see if I was buying a rabbit so that's how I run my rabbitry. Of course it's a personal choice and I don't feel this discussion is about how a rabbitry "should" be run because it's a personal choice, and it's great to hear some different opinions!
 
Hmm, while I am not a breeder I think I would like to join in on this discussion :) I am also looking to purchase a rabbit soon so its helpful to hear different breeders' policies on this.

I think new owners have a right to at least view the parents of their prospect, especially if they are wanting show quality. But I can definitely understand how letting virtual strangers into your rabbitry, in essence your pride and joy, can be an invasion of your privacy and comfort. On viewing the parents, if you only sell at shows and don't happen to have the parents with you, perhaps you could carry along pictures of the parents of rabbits your are selling to at least show to prospective owners?
I am rather liking the idea of just having it fenced off to where visitors can see in, but not actually enter where the rabbits are. But I can still understand how that could be uncomforting because, as Bramblerose said, it is a crazy world we live in. But I think it would not be unreasonable to simply send pictures of your rabbitry if your prospective buyer was interested. Because honestly, I think I would be interested in seeing my breeder's set up, just to get ideas (I love viewing everyone's set ups!) and see what my new bun was in before coming to me. Just my input so far :)
 
tori wrote:
I think it would not be unreasonable to simply send pictures of your rabbitry if your prospective buyer was interested. Because honestly, I think I would be interested in seeing my breeder's set up, just to get ideas (I love viewing everyone's set ups!) and see what my new bun was in before coming to me. Just my input so far :)
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The problem I would have with this is that you can't get a good idea of health or well being from photos. One thing I have seen in the past is rabbits sneezing in a rabbitry. I was going to buy an English Spot, the babies were fine, all healthy looking, but the mother and a few others were sneezy and the mom had a runny nose and wet feet. Now that is one thing I certainly don't want to be bringing into my rabbitry! Had I not seen the rabbitry and the mother, I wouldn't have had any idea and that the baby could have been bringing something like snuffles to my rabbitry (a good reason to have a few weeks quarantine before adding anything new to your herd regardless!). This is one of the main reasons it's important for me to see the set up.
 
I do not let anyone in my rabbitry ever since I had a doe stomp on her litter because she was spooked by strange people. I really don't care if someone does not want to buy from me because of it.

I have a good reputation for selling healthy, well handled rabbits that win on the show table or are good pets. If someone insists on seeing the rabbitry they can go somewhere else.

I would also like to remind some people that are posting that this is the rabbitry section of the forum and some of the posts and questions by a certain few people are getting close to breeder bashing!

Roger
 
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